Azerbaijan

Although Azerbaijan is a natural resource rich country, not all of its citizens have been able to benefit from the wealth produced from these natural resources. Approximately 11% of its population still lives below the poverty line, with this percentage increasing in the rural areas to as high as 42%, due to the outdated and neglected agricultural infrastructure.

Furthermore, 800,000 refugees and internally displaced persons remain scattered around the country, following the war with Armenia that took place in Azerbaijan’s Nagorno-Karabakh . Although a cease fire was declared in 1994, the underlying issues of the conflict have yet to be resolved.

These refugees have very few employment opportunities and depend on humanitarian aid for survival. For years, Azerbaijan was also a host to a large number of Chechen refugees displaced, due to other conflicts in the area.

Today, the approximate one thousand Chechen refugees who still remain in Azerbaijan, lack legal status and are therefore unable to obtain work permits nor enjoy the education and health care benefits of legal residents and citizens.